Exposure to cigarette smoke induces overexpression of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor in mouse skeletal muscle

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a well-established risk factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In contrast, the extent to which CS exposure contributes to the development of the systemic manifestations of COPD, such as skeletal muscle dysfunction and wasting, remains largely unknown. Decreased skeletal muscle capillarization has been previously reported in early stages of COPD and might play an important role in the development of COPD-associated skeletal muscle abnormalities. To investigate the effects of chronic CS exposure on skeletal muscle capillarization and exercise tolerance, a mouse model of CS exposure was used. The 129/SvJ mice were exposed to CS for 6 mo, and the expression of putative elements of the hypoxia-angiogenic signaling cascade as well as muscle capillarization were studied. Additionally, functional tests assessing exercise tolerance/endurance were performed in mice. Compared with controls, skeletal muscles from CS-exposed mice exhibited significantly enhanced expression of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2D1 (UBE2D1), and prolyl hydroxylase-2 (PHD2). In contrast, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was reduced. Furthermore, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, decreased skeletal muscle capillarization, and reduced exercise tolerance were also observed in CS-exposed animals. Taken together, the current results provide evidence linking chronic CS exposure and induction of VHL expression in skeletal muscles leading toward impaired hypoxia-angiogenesis signal transduction, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and decreased exercise tolerance.